“There were no barriers, so I thought the bridge was open,” said Kriangsak Chonlatarn, recalling the horrifying moment he slammed on the brakes as his wife screamed that the road had vanished.
“But it was too late. The front wheels were already dangling in the air. We hung over the edge for a split second, and then the car dropped down.”
The vehicle plunged five metres off the under-repair bridge in Kamphaeng Phet province on Thursday night, exposing repeated safety lapses that have plagued Thailand’s infrastructure for decades.
Miraculously, Kriangsak, his wife and their 11-year-old son survived the drop with only minor injuries, though the car was completely wrecked and valuable belongings were lost in the crash.
The family has filed a police complaint against the provincial government for criminal negligence and endangering lives.
What went wrong?
Locals said construction workers had removed temporary safety equipment from the bridge a day earlier. They also failed to put warning barriers back in place, leaving an unlit, invisible precipice waiting for unsuspecting motorists in the dark.
Si Mongkhon Vajiranusorn Bridge – more commonly known as Wang Kaem Bridge – is a concrete span across the Ping River connecting Kamphaeng Phet’s Wang Khaem and Mae Lat subdistricts.
“The bridge is a popular spot for local anglers, but drivers unfamiliar with the area have no way of knowing it’s impassable,” said a resident who witnessed the accident. “I heard a loud crash just seconds after he drove onto the bridge.”
The car landed on a sandy bank, cushioning the impact and saving the family’s lives. Luckier still, the Ping River’s water levels were relatively low at the time, meaning the trio was able to crawl out of the overturned vehicle without risk of drowning.
Who is legally responsible?
After the crash, the Office of Rural Roads 8 (Nakhon Sawan) reached out to Kriangsak and offered immediate assistance, including transport for the family to return home to Samut Prakan. However, financial compensation for the accident is yet to be settled.
By law, the victims have grounds to seek damages from both the contractor and relevant authorities.
Under Section 227 of the Criminal Code, contractors overseeing repairs that violate safety rules and endanger the public face up to five years in prison and/or a 100,000 baht fine. If negligence results in severe injury or death, the penalty rises to a maximum of 25 years in prison and a 400,000 baht fine.
Under Section 239, general negligence that endangers life carries penalties of up to a year in prison and/or a 20,000 baht fine.
Meanwhile, victims can pursue compensation under Section 420 of the Civil and Commercial Code, which penalises contractors and authorities for intentional or negligent acts that cause harm to life, body, health, freedom, property or rights.
Also, the 1996 Liability for Wrongful Actions of Officials Act holds state agencies directly responsible for failing to enforce safety standards at government-contracted construction sites.
Years of delays
The Wang Kaem Bridge has been under repair since it collapsed three years ago during heavy floods. The 84-million-baht repair contract was awarded to Praserdsin Construction Co Ltd, with an official completion deadline of November 20, 2025.
However, the project has suffered repeated delays, forcing local commuters to take long detours to cross the river.
Local Pheu Thai MP Noppon Phon-amnuai has raised questions in Parliament about the delayed repairs on multiple occasions. His constituents are now hoping that Thursday night’s accident will spur tighter safety measures and rapid completion of the bridge reconstruction.
The near-disaster followed a spate of deadly accidents at infrastructure under construction. In January, a massive construction crane collapsed onto a moving passenger train, killing 32 passengers in Nakhon Ratchasima.
A day later, two motorists were killed when another crane crashed onto their vehicles on Rama II Road in Samut Sakhon. The fatal accidents sparked debate over construction safety, with the government taking action against the contractor involved.
By Thai PBS World’s General Desk
